The quick and dirty way to learn employable social media skills

Heads up: All products featured here are selected by Mashable’s commerce team and meet our rigorous standards for awesomeness. If you buy something, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.

In 2018, social media is life. But is it also your career? It can be. With everyone and their mom using social media, it’s no surprise that careers in the space are on the rise. But a “career in social media” can mean many things.

There are Social Media Coordinators that build brand awareness for companies while handling the occasional crazy customer freakout. There are Marketing Managers that fuel customer acquisition and retention for brands. And there are Social Media Celebs (i.e., your teenage YouTube millionaire). Let’s go ahead and rule out the latter, and note that this article will not explore how to become the next Cardi B.

Instead, let’s talk social media skills that are relevant in the 2018 job market — and how you can learn them without spending significant money. All of the skills listed below are taught in detail in the Pay What You Want Social Marketing Mastery Bundle. There will be more later on how awesome this “pay what you want deal” is — but in short, it’s exactly what it sounds like.

1. Facebook skills that make you (and your company) money

Way back in 2010, social media jobs were aplenty. Companies paid savvy millennials to make their brand look cool and give stuff away on Facebook. Today, only about 4% of Facebook followers see a brand’s organic (non-paid) posts. Companies are understandably shifting their resources towards what works: customer acquisition and retention via paid Facebook ads.

This Social Marketing Bundle includes six courses focused on the complex world of Facebook marketing: from how to create a Facebook ad campaign to how to optimize creative for conversion. You’ll learn how to get the lowest cost per click possible and how to optimize your spend. Whether your future company is looking to generate B2B leads or sell products via e-commerce, these are the types of skills that will make you bank.

And if you’re thinking “but six courses?!” C’monnnn, you can do it. There’s a ton of stuff to know before you go spending a company’s money!

2. Driving traffic through Google AdWords

It’s only natural that the next skill relates to the other half of the online duopoly: Google. A Google Ad strategy is key to any contemporary marketing program, and a skilled professional knows how to build and run effective campaigns. Two included courses, Google AdWords Business Training and The Complete Google AdWords Course, will teach you to identify profitable keywords and optimize campaigns for success.

3. Don’t ignore Snapchat

Gen Z, the Snapchat Generation, is finally entering the workforce and represents up to $143 billion in buying power. This change is leading marketing trend analysts to believe that Snap is about to get a lot more relevant to money-hungry brands and companies looking to invest in paid social spend. We may see some reallocation of that mega Facebook spend to this important platform, and you’ll want your skills to be ahead of the game. The included course, Snapchat For Business: Grow Your Brand & Reach More Followers, delivers a blueprint that will make you confident in adding “Snap Expert” to your résumé right in time.

4. Embrace video as a medium

Facebook’s video favoritism is only part of the reason for the rise of video (albeit a big part). There’s no question that audiences are engaging more with video, and that any well-rounded marketing strategy should consider that. Throughout the bundle, you’ll learn how to incorporate video into your social media strategy, including using Periscope’s live broadcasts to bump engagement.

5. Data, data, data

The best candidate for any marketing position is a data-driven candidate. From Facebook persona targeting to AdWord strategy, the courses throughout the bundle will touch on how to remain consistently data-driven. Listen, learn, and make sure to emphasize this keyword when you hit the market.

If you were paying attention, you know that you can learn all these skills in one place: the Pay What You Want Social Marketing Mastery Bundle. Here’s how it works: pay any price at all starting at $1, and you’ll get lifetime access to two of the included courses. Beat the average price, and you’ll get all 15 courses. The best news of all is that this is a brand new bundle, so that average price is the lowest it will ever be. It’s the right place at the right time (at the right price) — so don’t wait to make a career change into social media.